Index-card.



J. H. RAND.

INDEX CARD..

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21,1916.

1,227,827. Patented May 29,1917.

JACKSON "1'! JAMES JONES JOHN JAMES H. BAND, 0]! NORTH 'IOHAWANDA, NEWYORK.

INDEX-CARD.

Bpeolflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Application fled June 21, 1816. Berta-1H0. 104,915.

. scribed and particularlyfpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wh1ch illustrate certain embodiments ofthe invention,-

Figure 1 is a face view showing a part of the index containing theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale through one-of thecards and. the transparent sheath on its free margin;

Fig. 3 is a'section' similar to Fi 2 showing a modification ofthe meansor attachin the sheath to the card;

i 4 is a longitudinal section illustrating diagrammatically the relationof the hinged cards and sheaths when the cards are lifted for thepurpose of inspecting or writingrupon anunderlying card;

ig. 5 is a face view of a part of an index containin a modification ofthe invention and showing adjustable indicators or sig-r nals att'achedthereto; and v Fig. 6 is a lon itudinal section on an enlarged scale oft e card, sheath and signal shown in Fig. 5.

A represents a frame of usual construction having an inwardly 'bentflange a at each side forming a pair of inwardly facing guide channels.Aseries of bars or car carriers B are held with their ends in said idechannels, and to each card carrier B.

of the card carriers B which engage the guide channels. Said sheaths Dthus lie side by side in substantially the same plane withoutoverlapping, thereby avoiding undue thickness or bulkiness of the index,while at the same time they occupy and protect practically the wholeexposed surface of the several overlapping cards excepting the uppermostcard. The sheaths D are made of transparent resilient material such assheet celluloid and comprise each a relatively long and narrow closedfront face, which overlies the front side of the free margin of thecards, and rearwardly and inwardly bent lips 11 and d one overlappingthe other. The rear lip (1 may be cemented or otherwise permanentlysecured to the free margin of the card C, which extends into the pocketin the sheath, as shown in Fig. 2; or, the free margin oft-the card Cmay be folded over as shown at c (Fig. 3), and the sheath may beattached to the card by inserting said folded over margin 0 endwise intothe compartment formed between the face of the sheath D and therearwardly and inwardly turned lip d. Said lip (Z, bent into the troughof the sheathpforms with the front face of the sheath D a compartment inwhich may be inserted an index slip E, and preferably extendsnear enoughto the bottom of the trough of the sheath to form such compartmentwholly separate and partitioned off from the pocket formed between thelip d and the front face of the card 0 which extends into the pocket.The front face of the sheath D is preferably inclined from the lower orouter ed e toward the face of the card thereby facllitating the movementor slipping ofthe edge of the next overlying card over the face of thesheath of the next underlying card when the cards are swung away fromthe frame as shown in Fig. 4. The pocket formed behind the frontcompartment, between the lip 11' and the lip (Z, is adapted to receive acard or paper insert F which is removably supported on the card C bysaid pocket. The front wall of said pocket is yieldingly urged towardthe rear-wall by the resilience of the material of the sheath so as toform a spring clip which will grip the insert in the pocket and hold itfrictionally in place against acoi dental dislodgment.

Theindex sli s E may extend the whole length of the s oaths as shown inFig. 5,

fillin substantially the whole space within the forward compartments ofthe sheaths, but preferably said index slips are shorter than saidcompartments so as to expose to view through the transparent sheaths theinterior of the pockets at one or both ends of the index slips, andpreferably the inserts F and the cards C are visually differentiated sothat when an insert F is removed or is missing from its proper pocket,its absence will be visually indicated by exposing to view the visuallydiiferentiatedmar in of the corresponding card C. This may eaccomplished, for example, by making the inserts F and the index slipsEof white paper or cardboard and the supporting'cards C of colored paper,so that when any card F is removed from the series it will expose thedifferent colored supporting card C to view through the transparentsheath, thus furnishing a signal that that insert is missing,

as illustrated in Fig. 1 on the card C indexed under the name Jones.

The index illustrated in Fig. 5 is substantially the same as that shownin Figs. 1 and 2 save that the index slips E occupy the whole spacewithin the indexcompartment of the sheath. In Figs. 5 and 6 anadjustable indicator member is shown having a signalportion 9 located inthe front compartment between the front face of the sheath and the indexslip E, and a tab portion bent around the lower edge. of the index slipand the edge of the lip' d, and thence projecting outside ofthe sheathbetween the resilient lips and lying substantially flatwise of the card.The indicator may be shifted lengthwise of the sheath by means of theprojecting tab portion g. The signal portion 9 ofthe indicator may beprovided with an aperture 9, or other means. serving as a pointer toindicate a letter or other inscription on the index slip E, as byexposing it to view through the aperture 9 Letters A, B, C,etc.;"indicating grade of credit, numerals indicating dates, or anyother desired inscriptions may be applied to the index slips E, andattention may be visually directed to the desired inscription by meansof the adjustable indicator.

qIt will be understood .that the indication might be a plied'to thecards'shown in Figs. 1 to 3 in t e same manner as illustrated in Figs. 5and 6.

I claim:

1. An index comprising a frame having inwardly facing guide channels, aseries of cards, means engaging said ide channels for supporting saidcards in overlapped spaced relation with their free margins pros jectingone beyond another, and a series of transparent sheaths on the frontside of the free margins of the cards, the width of said sheathscorresponding substantially. to-the width of the spacin cards, wherebysaid s eaths may lie side by between the several side in substantiallythe same plane without overlapping.

- transparent sheaths on the front side of the free margins of thecards, the width of said sheaths corresponding substantially to thewidth of the spacin between the several cards, whereby said s eathsmalie side by side in substantially the same p ane without.

overlapping, the faces of said sheaths being inclined from the outeredge toward the face of the card to facilitate the edge of eachoverlying card slipping over the face of the sheath on the nextunderlying card when the cards are swung away from the frame.

3. An index comprising a frame having inwardly facing guide channels,- aseries of cards, means engaging said ide channels for supporting saidcards in overlapped spaced relation with their free margins projectingone beyond another, and a series of. transparent sheaths on the freeedgesof the cards, each sheath comprising a front compartment adaptedtovreceive an index slip and a pocket behind said front compartmentadapted to receive a card insert. 4. An index com rising a frame havinginwardly facing guide channels, a series of cards, means engaging saidide channels for supporting said cards n overlapped spaced relation withtheir free margins projecting one beyond another, and a series oftransparent sheaths on the free edges of the cards, each having a closedfront face and rearwardly and inwardly bent lips "one overlapping t wlththe'closed front face a compartment adapted to receivean index sli andforming with the'rear lip a pocket-a I apted to receive a card insert.

5. An index comprising a frame having inwardly facing guide channels, aseries of cards, means engaging said ide channels for supportingsaidcards in .overlapped spaced relation with their free marginsprojecting one beyond another, and a series of transparent sheaths onthe free edges of the cards, each sheath comprising a front compartmentadapted to receive. an index slip and a pocket behind said frontcompartment adapted to receive a card insert, and index slips in saidcom .artments shorter than said compartments w ereby the interior ofsaid pockets will exposed to view through said transparent compartmentsat one or both ends of the index slips.

6. An' index compri a frame having inwardly facing guide 0 annels, aseries of cards, means enga ng said guide chane other, the front -lipforming;

nels for supporting said cards in overlapped 13o spaced relation withtheir free margins projecting one beyond another, and a series oftransparent sheaths on the free edges of the cards, 'each sheathcomprising a front compartment adapted to receive anindex slip and apocket behind said front compartment adapted to receive a card insert,index slips in said compartments shorter than said compartments toexpose to view the interior of said pockets through said transparentcompartments at one or both ends of the index I slips, and card insertsvisually difl'erentiated from said overlapped cards, removably held insaid pockets, whereby the absence of any card insert in the series fromits pocket will be visually indicated by exposing to view the margin ofthe corresponding overlapped card in said pocket.

7. Anindex com rising a frame having inwardly facing gu1de channels, aseries of cards, means engaging said guide channels V for supportingsaid cards in overlapped spaced relation with their free margins projecting; one beyond another, and a series of transparent sheaths on thefree edges of the cards, each having a closed front faceand rearwardlyand inwardly bent lips one overla ing the other, the front lip formingwltii the closed front face a compartment adapted to receive an indexsli and form ing with the rear lip a pocket a apted to re ceive a cardinsert, and index slips in said compartments shorter than saidcompartments, whereby the interior of said pockets will be exposed toview through said transparent compartments at one or both ends of theindex slips.

8. An index comprising a frame having inwardly facing guide channels, aseries of 40 cards, means enga 'ng ide channels for supporting saidcards in "overlapped spaced relation with their free margins projectingone beyond another, and a series of transparent sheaths on the freeedges of the "cards, each having a closed front face and rearwardly andinwardly bent lips one over lapping the other, the front lip formingwith the closed front-face a compartment adapted to receive an index sliand forming with the rear lip a pocket aaptedto receive a a card insert,index slips in said compartments shorter than said compartments toexpose to view the interior of said pockets through said transparentcompartments at one or both ends of the index slips, and card insertsvisually differentiated from said overlapped cards, removably held insaid pockets, where by the absence of any card insert in the serles fromits pocket will be visually indicated' by exposing to view the margin ofthe corresponding overlapped card in said pocket. 9." Anindex com risinga frame having inwardly facingguide channels, a series ofcards,\means\engag'ing said guide channels y and secured to said rear11p.

for supporting said cards in overlapped spacedrelation with their freemargins pro jecting one beyond another, and a series of transparentsheaths on the freeedges of the cards, each'having a closed front faceand rearwardly and inwardly bent lips one overlap ing the other, thefront lip forming with the closed front face a compartment adapted toreceive an index slip and form ing with the rear lip apocket adapted toreceive a card insert, said overlapping card being permanently securedto the rear lip and extending into said pocket, index slips in saidcompartments shorter than said compartments toexpose to view theinterior of said pockets through said transparent compartments at one orboth ends of the index slips, and card inserts visually differentiatedfrom said overlap ed cards, removably held in said pockets, w ereby theabsence of any card insert in the series from its pocket will bevisually indicated by ex osing to View the margin of the correspon mgoverlapped card in said pocket. a

10. A card having asheath of transpar= ent resilient material at oneedge forming a pocket, and a removable insert in said pocket, the frontwall of said pocket being yieldingly urged toward the rear wall by theresllience of the material of'the sheath,

whereby a spring grip will'be exerted on.

the insert in said pocket.

11. A card having a sheath of transparwith the v the front face acompartment adapted to receive an index slip andforming with the", 1rear lip a pocket adapted to receive a card insert, said card extendinginto" said 13. A card having a sheath of transparpocket ent resilientmaterial at one edge, said sheath comprising a closed front face, and

rearwardly and inwardly bent lips overlap-v ping each other, the frontlip forming with the front face a compartment adapted to receive anindex sli rear lipa pocket apted to receive a card insert, said frontlip being yieldingly urged @toward said rear lip by the resilience 'ofthe material,,whereby a spring grip will be exerted on the insert insaidpocket.-

14. A card having a sheath of transparent resilient material at oneedge, said and for-min 'with the sheath comprising a closed front face,and rearwardly and inwardly bent lips overlapping each other, the frontlip forming with the front face a compartment adapted to receive anindex sli and forming with the rear lip a pocket a apted to receive acard insert, said card extending into said pocket, an index slip in saidcompartment, and an insert in said pocket, said front lip beingyieldingly urged toward said rear lip by the-resilience of the material,whereby a spring grip will be exerted on the insert -in said pocket.

15. A sheath for an index device made of transparent resilient sheetmaterial comprising a closed front face and rearwardly and upwardly bentlips, one overlapping the other, the forward lip forming with the rearlip a pocket, and forming with the front face a separate compartmentadapted to receive an index slip. I

16. A sheet for an index device made of transparent resilient sheetmaterial comprising a closed front face and rearwardly and inwardly bentlips, one overlapping the 7 other, the forward lip forming with the rearlip a pocket, and forming with the front face a separate compartmentadapted to receive an index slip, said lips" being yieldingly urgedtoward each other by v the resilience of the material whereby saidpocketconstitutes a spring clip.

17. A sheath for an index device made of and the index slip,

transparent resilient sheet material, comprising a closed front face andrearwardly bent lips, free edge of the rear li projecting beyond theedge of the front ace, said lips being yieldingly urged toward eachother by the resilience of the material whereby: to exert a spring gripon a card extending between,

them. v

18. A card having a sheath of transparent resilient material at oneedge, said sheath comprising a closed front face, and rearwardly andinwardly bent lips overlapping each other, the front lip forming withthe front face a receive an index sli and forming with the rear lip .a.pocket a apted to receivefia card insert, said front lip beingyieldingly urged toward said rear lip'by the resilience of the material,whereby a sprin gri will be exerted on the insert in sai poc et, anindex slip in said compartment, and an adjustable indicator memberhaving a signal portion located between the front face of the sheath andatab portion bent over one edge of the index slip and projecting outsideof the sheath, between said resihent lips, and lying substantiallyflatwise of the card. 2

Signed by me at North Tonawanda, New York, this 16th day of June 1916.

JAMES H; RAND.

compartment adapted to one overlapping the other, the

